8.12.2015
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER PEAKS TONIGHT!
GET READY FOR TONIGHT'S PERSEID METEOR SHOWER PEAK: Tonight is the peak of the annual Perseid meteor shower and whether you have clear or cloudy skies, there are more than a few surprising ways that you can get involved and enjoy a potentially spectacular cosmic light show: http://dne.ws/1L6Kmd5
So, Where to Look?
As I said, “up” is a good place to start, and so long as your eyes have adjusted to the dark, you shouldn’t have any problems spotting the Perseid meteors (or “shooting stars”) flash across the sky. But if you want to be even more pro, make sure you know where the constellation of Perseus is in the sky. Perseus can be found in the northeast between the bright star of Capella (that will be rising above the horizon after 11 p.m. local time) and the constellation Cassiopeia. SPACE.com has a handy night sky rendering that can help you track down Perseus.
Why Perseus? Well, that’s the reason why the Perseids are named after this constellation — it just so happens that the meteors from this particular shower at this time of year appear to originate in the general direction of Perseus. This is what is known as a “radiant” and all the other annual meteor showers throughout the year have been named after the constellation they appear to be radiating from. However, it is not necessary to stare directly at Perseus to see tonight’s Perseid meteors, just be aware they will be coming from that direction and sweeping directly overhead.
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Labels:
ASTRONOMY,
falling stars,
METEOR SHOWER
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